


Final String

by UndertaIe



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: And Nightmare is concerned, And so is dream, Confession, Dream finally snaps, M/M, Past Abuse, So hes sad, negativity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-16 07:11:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13049088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndertaIe/pseuds/UndertaIe
Summary: Dream asked in desperation why he stuck around, no one answered, so he didn't.





	Final String

“I don’t think they would accept me”

 

Nightmare looked at his brother and scoffed. "Who wouldn't accept you? What were you even trying to do?" He just stared at Dream, his expression neutral.

" I.. didn't think they would like me.."

He was nervously fumbling with his hands. He didn't know the answer, and he didn't like not having answers, but saying 'I don't know' usually made it worse.

" i wish I knew what I was doing.."

"I don't know who you're talking about! Who is 'they?' Why are you complaining to me about it?" Nightmare threw his hands in the air in annoyance. He would've asked more questions, but he didn't.

Dream felt something boil inside, he wanted to lash out, he wanted to scream.

" THEY, ARE THE STUPID PEOPLE THAT EXPECT PERFECTION FROM ME! " He stood up straight, and pointed a finger to the directions of the demolished village. He stood there, in that position breathing, before putting his arm down, and put a finger to nightmares face.

" I am complaining to you, yes on hell I am! I don't know why, though. You'd rather be a sad excuse of a ruler then even help me. " He cared less for the temper he was throwing around.

 

After glancing at the village, Nightmare simply grinned. Nightmare didn't take offence from Dream's comment oh no. He was feeding off of the negative emotions emitting from his brother. A sick smile was present on his face.

He simply shrugged, the grin widened a bit. Even though it didn't look like it, his guard was up. "Why didn't you go to one of your friends and ask for help? You know you can't do everything by yourself, brother."

" What friends. "

He knew he was feeding him with his anger, he did care, in all reality. But he acted like he didn't

" back then, all I had was you, but you were depressed enough. Even though you did at least care about me a little bit. "

"So they all left you, or were just never your friends? You're right, yes, I /used to/ care about you."

Nightmare stared blankly at Dream.

" yes, they left me, assuming I'd become like you. "

He inhaled. But once he heard 'used to', he stepped forward a tiny bit.

" what did I ever do to you ?"

Nightmare didn't seem to react to Dream approaching him. He tapped his mandible slowly and looked directly into Dream's eye sockets, pretending to think.

"Oh, just about, a ton of things."

 

" Oh sure, tell me them. Lay them on me, dear brother!"

He failed his arms in therror air, before crossing his arms and giving him flat look.

Nightmare pointed an accusing finger at his brother.

"You're the reason I'm like this! You didn't seem to care about me. You didn't ask me what was wrong, you didn't ever really want to do anything with me once you started to get really popular. I was the one who comforted you when you were down... I did so many things for you, yet you seemed to like the people more than me. When I became depressed, you hardly even noticed! I only wanted to prove that I wasn't a bad person, but NO! They thought I was bad, so I became bad."

By the time Nightmare was done, he was looking everywhere except at Dream.

His expression fell, and he felt a crumbling feeling inside.

For so long, he's had to help the happiness of others, making himself go through misery and pain because he could never be happy. It broke him. And he forces himself to smile sometimes just to keep up the positive vibe. But he failed to take care of even one person. 

The one person that mattered most.

" Thanks.. thanks for telling me how I'm not doing.. my job right." He had tears stained golden fall, and he turned around.  
" i needed it. " He did not smile.

The finger that was pointing at Dream fell. Nightmare's expression softened a bit, even though knew no one would see. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, but that guilt disappeared soon after it came. It was replaced with confusion, and of course, his hatred.

Nightmare looked at Dream's back, but he soon closed his 'eye.' "So, you didn't give up yet? Or did you?" He asked, though it was kind of rhetorical.

" i am giving up. "

He started to walk away, but then hesitated his walking. Then stopped. He felt like he needed to stay, buy Why? He triedoesn't so hard to make everyone happy, making himself suffer to the point. He was on a thin line right now, one more bad event and his breaking point would occur.

" everyone can live without happiness.."

Nightmare sighed and went after him, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Even though I despise you, you can't give up. You need to continue to do your job... The people can't live without positive emotions, even if I refuse to believe it. Even if that's what I want. Everything will be... gone without positive emotions. Even me- everything would be erased, wouldn't it?"

As Nightmare talked, he slowly began to sound more like his old self. It sickened him, but he couldn't help it.

" everyone can live without happiness, except it would be a terrible world of pain. Everyone argued and stuff, kill or be killed.. the world you probably want."

He stuttered at his touch, he wasn't used to him with this unexpetted niceness, he turned his head at his hand, then him. He switched his eyes to look between the two things for a moment, before facing back to the direction where he wanted to leave.

He wanted to ask why he was being nice, but he enjoyed this soft side, where he didn't scream or hurt him. He wanted to embrace the moment.

"Yes, it is the kind of world I want... However, I don't want that just yet."

Nightmare was lying to himself, he knew it too. He knew that the reason he didn't want Dream to go was because he would miss him. He just didn't want to admit that he still cared, that he still had /some/ good in him. The hand on Dream's shoulder dropped. Nightmare looked over to the place Dream was headed as well.

"Brother, you need to stay."

" Why..? "

He looked out, and it was nothing but a crumbled world of sadness out there. He knew that he would miss his brother if he left, and he knew it was a stupid idea. But he wasn't thinking all that straight either, his brother was just feeding off of him.

A golden tear fell on the floor.

"I can't tell you."

He walked in front of Dream and grabbed both of his shoulders. He started shaking Dream, stopping after about ten seconds. Nightmare frowned and looked into his eye sockets. At the moment, he didn't have any of the four tendrils out.

"You can't keep thinking like this. That would be more of my job than yours."

" Why are you being so.. why are you..? "

He had so many questions, he was finally having a real conversation that actually means something. Instead of arguing. It felt amazing to dream, but his soul still felt heavy in guilt. He hurt inside and he just wanted to hug him and cry. 

" i.. " He stopped, and took a breath, before contenuing.. " i.. feel like you should tell me. "

"Why am I being so nice?"

Nightmare's 'eye' twitched. He didn't remove his hands, but he looked away. Having meaningful conversation with someone after he became corrupted was new to him. Being nice and attempting to comfort people wasn't something he usually did, either. It made him uncomfortable.

"I'll only tell you if it'll make you stay."

 

He wanted to leave, but once he heard the statement, he grinned a bit, and quickly made that grin fall. He, now, realised that, he really just wanted to stay with him, make him happy, he really wanted to stay with him. He never knew if this could be his last time seeing him happy.

" .. alright.. I'll stay.. "

He didn't know why he wanted him to stay, but he stood there and waited.

Nightmare sighed again and took a few steps back. He didn't look at Dream yet, he was staring at the ground. 

"I never stopped caring about you or anything. I just thought that pushing you away would make you hate me, everyone else did.. I could never hate you. You were the only one there for me. That's why I didn't kill you before, and that's why I won't now. Those things I said, I didn't mean them.. I didn't mean to kill the Tree either."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at Dream. It was a relief to finally get that off his chest, but he was embarrassed. If you observed him close enough, you would be able to see that he was shaking a bit.

 

He stood there, frozen in shock for a couple of seconds. He stood there, with just a face. That face. Before hugging him all of a sudden, he didn't know what he was doing, and his corrupt formy felt weird on him, it was like hugging slime. But he stayed there, clinging onto him.

" thank you.. thank you i.. wanted to know that you.. still want me around.." His voice cracked, and droplets of gold stained his face again, he let go of the hug, and proceeded to wipe the tears away with his gloved hand.

 

Nightmare's 'eye' was wide, he was a little surprised. Slowly, a small grin found its way onto his face. He looked at Dream and the grin lingered, more than he would've liked it to. He took his hands out of his pockets and sighed in relief. If Nightmare could stand positive emotions, there was a slight chance that he would hug back. He flinched at the sudden appearance of positivity.

"Of course I want you around.. You're my brother, and my first friend."

" You're my favorite of the both. "

Once all the tears obsorbed in the glove, he took this time to to truly look at him. He smiled back at him, his happiness made dream feel so happy. It wasn't just because he was the maker of all positive emotions. He truly felt like there was some, brotherly, special contact happening. It made him smile at him brighter. This was the first time ever he'd ever seen him truly smile for this long, it felt amazing.

He didn't want to respond in fear that he would mess up. Nightmare closed his 'eye,' content with the fact that he had made his brother happy again. It hurt him, but he felt that it was worth it, that the pain was better than living without his brother. Instead of hugging him, like Dream had, he just pat his head. He wasn't used to hugging people, not at all. Nightmare just wanted to show some kind of affection, even though it turned out a bit awkward. He hesitated before speaking.

"For a second there, I thought you wouldn't forgive me.."

" I am a very forgiving person.. brother. "

He smiled for a second, flashing two thumbs up. Before putting them down. Then looked at nightmare completely. Man, being stuck and a body of negative thoughts must really have a dark impact on his brother. He really wanted to help him get out of there, and once he did that, he would never abandon his brother like the way he would so long ago. He had a face of worry for a second, but It was replaced with a smile.

Nightmare sighed, opening his 'eye' again. He felt that sudden worry come in, it wasn't even hard to notice compared to Dream's happiness. It made Nightmare confused. Was it coming from Dream, or perhaps a villager? He took a few steps back and looked at Dream's expression, his 'eyebrow' raised again. Why would Dream be worried right now? Besides, it didn't even look like he was worried about anything right now. He decided to ask about it.

"Is something wrong?"

 

" Yeah.. but it's not you. "

He turned his head away to look in the direction of the village, only to have the sun blare in his eyes, he winced, before turning back his head, and stared off. Damn his brother of him knowing what feelings you feel. He didn't want to explain what was wrong. It just didn't seem right to dream. Not at all.

 

Nightmare squinted at his brother and took a few steps back. He then looked at the village for a moment, as if he was trying to figure out what was the matter. After finding nothing too strange there, he crossed his arms. He observed Dream for a few minutes, not moving from his spot.

"You can tell me what's bothering you if you want. If you don't want to though.. eh. It's not necessary."

 

"I just.. I'm scared to make you worse."

He turned arojnd, he looked at him in the eye with a heavily forced happy look. He looked on edge now, as if something triggered him just by looking around him, and he had to blink away.

"I destroyed you once, I'm scared to do it again."

"I'm sure that whatever is bothering you won't do that.. I think."

He stopped squinting, though his visible 'eyebrow' was raised again. His arms went back to his side. Nightmare was a bit shocked, how could his brother fake happiness like that?

"You really trust me.. huh?"

He stayed in the same facial expressions, but he constantly looks around, away from who he was talking to. Dream didn't know why he was so nervous, felt so afraid, so mad at himself.

 

"I suppose."

He frowned and abruptly stepped towards him, grabbing Dream's mandible. He his brother's head to make him look at him. Nightmare looked down at him, staring into his eye sockets. 

"Look at me, please.."

 

Once his hand grabbed him, he shivered, but settled quickly. Dreams golden eyes followed up to Nightmares, he struggled, but took smooth, calming breaths that made him feel better about himself in the situation. Before letting go of the frown, though he wasn't smiling, either.

".. okay..?"

He sighed and his hand let go of Dream's jaw. However, the hand on his shoulder stayed, Nightmare's grip on his shoulder tightened a bit. Nightmare deadpanned and narrowed his visible 'eye' at him. He looked away for a moment, hesitating a little before speaking.

"I'm going to just get to the point. Are you willing to tell me what's bothering you? "

 

"I thought I just told you..?"

He had hinted tone of lie and nervousness in his voice, he looked off for a second, before looking back at him. He made a frown, as of he was gulity.

 

"I know, but.."

Nightmare could feel more negativity emitting from Dream. It made him feel a bit concerned for his brother. He just sighed and let go of his shoulder and backed away.

 

"I.. I can't say, because I don't know."

He walked a tad bit forward, before just stopping and backing away to their original areas. He couldn't help but notice, why didn't he know what to say?

 

"Oh. How could you not know, though?"

Nightmare looked away for a moment, clasping his hands. Once he looked back at Dream, he raised his 'eyebrow' at him, he noticed Dream move toward him.

"Do you ever just feel.. wrong, and don't know why?"

He looked up to him, litterally and metaphorically. He liked his brother, of course, but he felt there was, a little connection here, right now. As if they weren't just brothers, they were soul bound, promise to protect eachother. Not in a romantic, relationship way. But more than siblings. Almost like a clone, or twin.

This is what he wanted to admkt, but didn't scavenger the correct words.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

He nodded a bit, though it wasn't really necessary. Nightmare closed his eye once again, flinching for a reason that he didn't know of. Right now, he was trying to kind of get an idea of what Dream was thinking by attempting to identify all or most of the emotions Dream was feeling.

 

"Just because.. "

He ended it there, he started to turn away from noghtmare, backed away a bit and hid his face with his cape. He made out uncompreharent muffled, whines and frustration noises.

Nightmare looked at his brother, his 'eye' a bit more wide than usual. He hesitated, taking a few steps toward Dream. He raised his hand a little and paused. The hand lightly tapped Dream.

"Er.. Are you alright?"

 

"Stupid feelings! Stupid, stupid!"

He stopped once he heard him, and put his cape back In place. He stared at him, very closely, eyes moving around at the millisecond. He then slowed down, and told him the flat answer.

"No, I'm not alright."

"Well, what's wrong?"

He squinted at Dream, wondering why his cape was covering his face. Nightmare stepped a bit closer to him, genuinely concerned. His 'eye' flickered left and right rapidly, checking to see if he was physically hurt.

"I.. I just.. I just can't say, you know?"

He looked at his hands, and fixated his cape a little more. Before looking at him with a straight face.

"I suppose.."

He sighed, his face neutral once again. Nightmare stared at Dream for a moment, but he soon looked away.

He stood there for a second, before what felt like an enternity. Fiddling with his gloves, snapping them on his wrists out of sheer boredom. before he had to speak up.

"So, what do we do now, do I leave.. or?"

"I don't know.. I'll just leave. Goodbye, for now, brother."

He took several steps away from Dream. Nightmare waved a bit and snapped. He teleported away to another place, leaving Dream alone. A few drops of that 'tar' was on the ground.

Dream was going to say something, but once he left, he just walked away fro, the throne at a normal pace.

He didn't know how he felt, but he knew that the whole meeting itself was really sucessful. He was highly expecting nightmare to go ahead and start attacking him and all that dumb stuff. What really stopped dream the most was the fact he didn't want to hurt him, nor the tree. He walked slower, the more in depth he was left with his thoughts.

 

 

Eventually, Nightmare came back, looking for Dream. He went walking in the direction that Dream had went, occasionally teleporting. It wasn't all too hard finding Dream, since he could feel, or just know, what other people and monsters are feeling. Once he caught sight of Dream, Nightmare teleported in front of him to stop him from going farther away. He sighed. 

"Brother, I am here."

 

He gasped in a sharp breath, before blinking. He had been standing outside of nightmares castle, so deep in thought he stopped walking. He looked up at first with a nasty look, but then his expression changed. He started to become neutral again.

"Yes..? I can see you."

He still stood there, and he turned around And stared at him.

 

He felt a change of heart.


End file.
